Power densities in electrical components have reached unprecedented levels as processing power increases in ever decreasing package sizes. In some cases, heat fluxes from component surfaces are so large that the heat loads cannot be mitigated through conventional cooling technology. These heat fluxes can extend well beyond 1 kW/cm2. Overheating in electrical components, such as integrated circuits, can result in excess signal noise, reduced component operational lifetimes, and mechanical failures.
Thus advanced embedded or integrated heat sinks are being developed for the newest generation of computing, laser, radar, and diode systems, amongst others, to handle heat fluxes in excess of 1 kW/cm2. In such embedded or integrated cooling systems, a cooling fluid flows around, between, and/or through positions of the electrical component to provide cooling at the heat source. Strong initiatives have been put in place recently by both industry and government bodies to develop these advanced heat sinks, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Intrachip/Interchip Enhanced Cooling Fundamentals (ICECool Fundamentals) program being an example.